The invention relates in general to handling micro-machined objects and, more particularly, to a device for holding and engaging micro-machined objects.
The technology evolving around micron sized machined objects, often referred to as micro-machined objects, has a wide variety of applications. Scientists and engineers are continually investigating and discovering new applications for micro-machined objects and components. Optical circuits, micron sized motors and related electrical circuits are but a few applications for this technology.
Optical circuits, for example, typically involve a variety of small components configured together to direct and transmit light signals. These components have considerably low tolerances for transmitting and manipulating light signals. It is therefore imperative that the components be precisely placed and aligned within the optics circuit.
Recently, optics circuits have been applied to the optical head of a magneto-optical (MO) drive. Placing these optical circuits directly on the reader head has proven to be advantageous to processing and transmitting light signals within the optical drive system accurately and efficiently. This application has employed the science of micro-machined optical components. To fit on a reader head, the optical circuits require components as small as 100 to 500 microns. These components need to be placed and precisely aligned on an optical reader head so that light signals can travel through the circuit to be processed properly.
The placing of these objects onto the reader head is a very labor intensive, delicate and intolerant process. Presently, the components are placed and fitted on the reader head by hand. Mechanical motion translators and micro-manipulators allow a person to move and place objects within an optics circuit by converting their hand movements to much smaller movements to allow micron and sub-micron positioning. Often, placement of these small components require repeated attempts to affix them into the head holding the entire circuit. And, all of the awkwardness of assembling the circuits costs a great deal of money and time and is subject to errors in misalignment or misplacement. It would be useful to be able to more easily place and align these components.
One common method for placing and adjusting optical components on a substrate is to etch a V-shaped groove into the substrate and align components within the groove to form a circuit. In operation, components are placed in the groove and glued in place once they are aligned. Using conventional methodology, tiny fiber optic cables, for example, are placed within the groove and aligned with respect to the overall optical circuit. A strap is then placed across the fiber and immediately glued in place using a quick curing adhesive, permanently affixing the fiber in place. One major problem with this method is that the fiber can not be further adjusted after it is glued in place as to focus a light beam carried by the fiber. It would be useful to be able to place these tiny fibers and other components within a circuit and to subsequently adjust them. A person assembling the circuit can then align and tune the circuit more accurately.
Another device for holding micro-machined components is known in the art as xe2x80x9cmicro optical benchesxe2x80x9d. These devices are simply substrates having patterns of grooves and slots configured to hold conventional machined micro-optical components. These structures, however, do not address the need for precision placement and adjustment of micro-machined components. They merely provide a medium for holding the components. They include no meaningful structures to aid in precision placement and adjustment of the components.
One other proposed solution is to etch components having optical characteristics from the substrate itself. This has been attempted in order to substitute micro-machined components for etched figures having similar optical characteristics. The problem with this method is that micron sized optical circuits require a great deal of precision that presently requires micro-machined components made from delicate materials. It is difficult to find a material that has good optical characteristics and can also be easily etched. The results so far have produced circuits having components with simply inadequate optical characteristics.
Yet another solution proposes to form optic components from plastics. These components supposedly allow the components to be easily snapped into voids within a substrate. The problem with this method is that these components, like the etched components discussed above, have inadequate optical characteristics. Furthermore, once these components are snap-fitted into the substrate, they can not be easily removed in tact for adjustment. They are also limited in size to 500 microns, much too limiting for micron sized optical components.
Therefore, there exists a need for a device for holding and engaging micron-sized objects and allowing for precision placement and alignment and that further allows subsequent adjustment once a component is placed. As will be seen, the invention solves these problems and overcomes these shortcomings of the prior art in a simple and elegant manner.
In one respect, the invention provides an apparatus for holding micron-sized objects. The apparatus includes a mounting block having openings, such as cavities and recesses, for holding the micron-sized objects therein. The mounting block further includes one or more resilient members having a base mounted on the mounting block. The resilient members further include an engaging surface configured to engage a micro-machined object within a cavity or recess of the mounting block. When the object is engaged, the resilient member applies pressure to the object to secure it against a surface of the mounting block or against another resilient member. The object is held within the opening of the mounting block and can be moved within the opening to allow proper placement and subsequent adjustment of the object.
The invention further provide a method of making the apparatus is also provided that includes etching the mounting block to create cavities and recesses. The method further includes simultaneously creating resilient members along with and within the openings within the mounting block. The result is a mounting block having at lease one resilient member and configured to engage and hold micro-machined objects.